About Bangalore

Bangalore

Bangalore, also known as Bengaluru, is often referred to as the ‘Garden City’ because of the numerous parks and gardens that dot the localities of the city. It is also considered as a major information technology (IT) hub of the country and thus called the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. Kempe Gowda, a feudal ruler affiliated to the Vijayanagara kingdom, first established a mud fort, which turned out to be the foundation of the present day city. The city passed through a myriad of rulers ranging from the Marathas, Mughals and Mysore rulers before becoming a part of independent India.

Budget Hotels in BangaloreThere are a couple of good budget hotels in the city. Some of the options which are worth a try are Suntrupthi Residency (Tariff – Rs. 950), Citizen Lodge (Tariff – Rs. 850), The Royal Nest (Tariff – Rs. 900), Vijaya Residency (Tariff – Rs. 900) and others.

LanguageThe official language of Bangalore is Kannada. Hindi, English, Telugu and Tamil are also understood and widely spoken.

Events in BangaloreThe important festivals of the area are Pongal in January, Karaga in April, Ganesh Chathurthi in August-September, Diwali in October-November, the fasting month of Ramadan, the two Eid(s), Easter and Christmas.

Places to See in BangaloreSome of the places worth trying out in Bangalore are Bangalore Palace, Lal Bagh, Cubbon Park, Bannerghatta National Park,Vidhana Soudha, Seshadari Iyer Memorial, Tipu Sultan’s Palace, Bull Temple, ISKCON Hare Krishna Temple, Meenakshi Sundaram Temple, Holy Trinity Church and St. Mary’s Basilica. Wonderla Amusement Park at a distance of 28 km is popular with youngsters and children looking for a break on weekends.

How to Get There

Air:The nearest airport is the Kempegowda International Airport at a distance of 36 km.

Rail:Bangalore City Junction Railway Station is the major railway station in the city.

Bus:There is bus service running from almost everywhere in south India to Bangalore city. State transport buses as well as private operators ply their buses to and fro the city. SRS Travels, Kallada Travels and SRM, Travels are some of the major operators in the city as well as the region. Do away with standing in ticket counters and opt for online bus reservation facility instead.

About Harihar

Harihar

A city located in the Davanagere District of Karnataka, Harihar is famous for the Harihareshwara temple. Geographically located in the centre of the state, Harihar is on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. The National Highway 4 (Puna – Bangalore) passes via this city. Harihar serves as a major industrial base as a large number of industries are headquartered here.

Places to StayThere are not many hotels in Harihar. Tourists’ visiting the place can stay at the Shantappa Hotel, Nandini Deluxe Lodge and Ambica Lodge that offer rooms from Rs.500 onwards.

EventsUgadi, Sankranthi, Christmas and Ramzan are celebrated here. The annual Car Festival at the temple is a grandly celebrated

LanguageKannada is the Local Language here.

Places to VisitPlaces to visit within a kilometre of the bus stand are the Harihareshwara Temple, Sree Parvathi Temple, the Omkar Math and the Mother Mary's Church. The Hazarat Chaman Shah Wali Dargha is located 6kms away, while the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary is located about 20kms away.

How to Get There

Air:The nearest airport is at Hubli (131kms)

Rail:Harihar has its own Railway Station

Bus:The Harihar Bus Station runs regular bus service that connects the place to neighbouring towns. There are a great number of private bus operators like Mahesh Travels, Vijayanand Roadlines, Durgamba travels, SRE travels and Latha Tours and Travels that run regular buses to and from the town. Log on to Ticketgoose.com and get bus booking online to over 4,000 destinations across the country.